The Underworld, Starting with Debt

The intense itching sensation, accompanied by a constant physiological tremor, finally brought me to a complete state of mental clarity.

"Xiao Zhi, you're so mean! You just know how to bully your aunt."

When Miyajima Tsubaki woke up, she found two large, greasy mounds of fat about to be flattened. The familiar and reassuring scent she felt told her that it was Ito Koshitomo. A blush crept onto Miyajima Tsubaki's beautiful face. What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. She had just had a strange dream in which the protagonist was right beside her when she woke up, making her a little shy.

"Little Zhi really loves to act cute." Miyajima Tsubaki's soft voice couldn't hide her inner joy as she gently stroked Ito Koshito's head with her small hand. 'Has Little Zhi finally realized something? Does he see Auntie as a beautiful member of the opposite sex? He can't help but want to do something to Auntie…'

'Teenagers in their adolescence are full of vigor and passion, and it's inevitable that they'll have some thoughts about the opposite sex. If Xiaozhi makes a move on other women... no, that would land him in juvenile detention. I have to properly guide Xiaozhi from now on, and not let him go astray!' She seemed to be thinking of Ito Kozue leading a woman to her...

"Auntie, this is my girlfriend."

Miyajima Tsubaki increased the pressure in her hands, almost crushing her enormous conscience into a soft, mushy patty. 'No, I won't allow it!'

Miyajima Tsubaki clenched his fist, seemingly making a firm decision. 'Sakura, your great-uncle will never let anyone take Sakura away from you! [Swearing.jpg]'

"Waaah!" Ito Koshino struggled to lift her flushed face, panting softly, and glared at Miyajima Tsubaki. "It was all because Auntie suddenly hugged me so tightly that I was suffocating."

"Hmph, I don't care, it's all Xiaozhi's fault. Xiaozhi only knows how to bully me."

'Hmm?' Ito Koshitomo straightened his disheveled hair and looked at Miyajima Tsubaki, who was acting like a little girl, with a bit of confusion.

Aside from incidents related to kendo, Miyajima Tsubaki is usually mature and intellectual, giving the first impression of a gentle and virtuous woman. Why is she being so affectionate today?

However, the mature beauty had a unique charm when she acted coquettishly, and Ito Koshichi smiled and played along.

"Because Aunt Chun is so cute, it's impossible not to tease her."

"You're so mean," Miyajima Tsubaki's heart softened even more. Her delicate little hand loosely grasped Ito Kozue's arm, as gentle and charming as the soft drizzle of Jiangnan.

"Aunt Chun, we should go eat now. We can't keep Grandpa Kiichiro and Sister Sakura waiting too long."

Miyajima Tsubaki propped herself up, straightened her slightly disheveled collar, and looked at Ito Kozue with a smile, saying...

"Xiaozhi, you go ahead, Auntie needs to change her clothes. Or—Xiaozhi, do you want to help Auntie change?"

"If Auntie doesn't mind, haha—"

"Is that so?" Miyajima Tsubaki smiled even more charmingly, her slender hands picking up the hem of her dress and pulling it up. Her delicate collarbone appeared even whiter in the sunlight, faintly connecting to a deep, unfathomable cleavage.

Miyajima Tsubaki paid special attention to Ito Koshito's gaze, noticing that Ito Koshito's eyes were secretly glancing at her chest, and she smirked slightly with pride.

'I'm still quite charming, aren't I...'

"Um, Auntie... I'll be going now. You should get up soon." Ito Koshi reluctantly withdrew his gaze, afraid that looking any longer would create an awkward situation between them. The first glance was instinct, but withdrawing it was a sign of respect.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the spacious room, four people knelt around a square table.

"Xiao Zhi's cooking skills have improved again!" Miyajima Sakura picked up a piece of fish and took a bite. She found the texture of the fish to be delicate and the taste to be delicious. She couldn't help but praise Ito Kozue.

“Yes, they’re all better than what Auntie makes!” Miyajima Tsubaki said with a smile.

"As long as it suits your taste."

Miyajima Tsubaki watched the harmonious scene unfold, a picture of family bliss. Her father, Miyajima Kiichiro, maintained his authoritative demeanor, but the relaxed expression on his face betrayed his enjoyment of the warm atmosphere. Her daughter, Miyajima Sakura, chatted and laughed intermittently, quiet and charming.

And then there was that boy... who always smiled cheerfully, making up for the regret that the Miyajima family had no men.

Enjoying the warm atmosphere, Miyajima Tsubaki couldn't help but drift into a daze, as if she had returned to the time when Ito Koshitomo had just arrived at the dojo.

At that time, Miyajima Tsubaki was not yet divorced.

Miyajima Tsubaki's husband is named Miyajima Sōsuke, and they fell in love when they were in high school. At that time, Miyajima Tsubaki was young and impetuous. Because she had been practicing swordsmanship for many years, she was very confident in her martial arts skills, which led to her impulsive and rebellious nature.

While still in school, she impulsively formed an inextricable bond with Sōsuke Miyajima and became pregnant.

When Miyajima Tsubaki led Miyajima Sousuke to Miyajima Kiichiro with the pregnancy diagnosis, Miyajima Kiichiro, who was in his prime at the time, was furious at the shocking news and immediately picked up a bamboo sword to teach Miyajima Sousuke a lesson.

If it weren't for Tsubaki Miyajima stopping him, Sōsuke Miyajima would probably have been shortchanged.

Finally, with things having come to this, Kiichiro Miyajima, out of consideration for his daughter Tsubaki Miyajima, reluctantly accepted Sousuke Miyajima as his son-in-law. However, afterward, Kiichiro Miyajima fell seriously ill, seemingly drained of all his energy, becoming like a frail old man. It was then that Tsubaki Miyajima first regretted her impulsiveness.

At that time, Miyajima Tsubaki had not yet finished high school when she chose to drop out and stay home to prepare for childbirth.

In order to carry on the Miyajima family's kendo tradition, Kiichiro Miyajima put forward a condition: Miyajima Sosuke must marry Miyajima Tsubaki after graduating from high school and must become an adopted son-in-law of the Miyajima family.

In this island nation, male chauvinism is quite prevalent. Kiichiro Miyajima's demand that Sousuke Miyajima marry into the family and take the wife's surname was seen by Sousuke as a sign that he was being misunderstood and that his dignity was being undermined.

By then, Miyajima Sōsuke still accepted, not only because Miyajima Tsubaki was a great beauty, but also because of the Miyajima Dojo's deep financial resources.

However, this very fact has torn a small crack in the relationship between Miyajima Tsubaki and Miyajima Sosuke, a crack that will only grow larger and larger until it finally breaks apart.

After graduating from high school, Miyajima Sosuke married Miyajima Tsubaki as promised and moved into the Miyajima family. However, they did not have the same passionate and inseparable relationship as newlyweds.

After giving birth to Sakura, Miyajima Tsubaki did not continue her studies. Instead, she stayed at the dojo to accompany Sakura and help her father manage the dojo.

Sosuke Miyajima went on to university, so he didn't live at the Miyajima Dojo. He and his wife, Tsubaki Miyajima, only got to see each other during holidays. For the last two years of university, he didn't even go home to visit Tsubaki during holidays, explaining that he was about to graduate and needed to prepare for job hunting. This made Tsubaki feel increasingly lonely.

Miyajima Tsubaki found it strange. Work? Wasn't it a promise she made to her father that she would inherit the Miyajima Dojo? However, Miyajima Tsubaki didn't think too much about it at the time.

After Miyajima Sōsuke graduated from university, just when Miyajima Tsubaki thought the couple could spend more time together, Miyajima Sōsuke often went out on business trips and was rarely at home.

However, at that time, the exceptionally talented Itō Koshitomo came to the dojo to learn swordsmanship for the first time, and Miyajima Tsubaki, who was in charge of teaching Itō Koshitomo, also experienced the joy of being a teacher because of Itō Koshitomo's extraordinary talent and quick understanding. She gradually alleviated the loneliness in her heart and forgot the unpleasantness with Miyajima Sōsuke.

Until one day...

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Rainy Night

A light rain was falling, the raindrops tapping rhythmically on the windows, roof, and leaves.

Faced with the torrential rain, the flow of people on the streets gradually decreased, and only a few pedestrians trapped under the eaves stopped occasionally.

The streetlights appeared particularly dim and yellow in the rainy night, their halos blurred in the mist, as if composed of droplets of fog reflecting the anxious mood of pedestrians, adding a touch of mystery to the night.

"Oh! I forgot to check the weather forecast today, and I didn't even bring an umbrella." Miyajima Tsubaki stood under the eaves near the neon billboard, looking at the dense raindrops so close at hand, like hanging beaded curtains separating heaven and earth.

"Sigh! When will the rain stop a little..."

The hazy neon lights reflected on Miyajima Tsubaki's delicate, slightly melancholic face. The dark, rainy night was like a cup of intoxicating wine, gradually drawing out the emotions buried deep within Miyajima Tsubaki's heart.

'Sigh, Zongyou has been spending even less time at home lately, and he barely pays any attention to Sakura. What is he doing...?'

"Aunt Tsubaki?" Miyajima Tsubaki's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden greeting. She looked up and saw a young figure standing in front of her, holding an umbrella.

"Oh, it's Xiaozhi. You've been practicing until now and are only now getting home?"

"Yes, Aunt Chun, didn't you bring an umbrella?"

“Yeah, there aren’t any convenience stores around here…sigh—” Miyajima Tsubaki touched her face, tilted her head to look at the torrential rain in the sky, and sighed helplessly.

"Then I'll take Auntie home. It's not far from the dojo."

"Then let's stay at the dojo tonight, Kotoko, otherwise you'll miss the train." Miyajima Tsubaki looked at Ito Kotoko seriously upon hearing this.

"That's troublesome."

"No, it's me who's bothered Xiaozhi."

The continuous drizzle gently brushed against their cheeks, bringing a touch of coolness and freshness.

Although still young, Ito Koshitomo was already the same height as Miyajima Tsubaki. Ito Koshitomo held an umbrella and led Miyajima Tsubaki on a walk in the rain, heading towards the Miyajima dojo.

Even though the umbrella that Ito Koshitomo brought was big enough, the two of them were still soaked by the occasional raindrops.

"We're almost at the dojo, let's hurry up."

"Splash—" Stepping into small puddles formed by rainwater on the ground, the two moved forward quickly amidst the swaying reflections.

"Hmm?" Miyajima Tsubaki suddenly looked towards the other end of the alley. A white Porsche was parked there, and a familiar figure stood beside it, holding an umbrella. "That was Sosuke. What was he doing there?"

"Xiao Zhi, wait a minute, I saw Zong You. Let's go find him. He's carrying an umbrella."

"Mr. Miyajima? Okay."

Ito Koshito nodded and walked in the direction Miyajima Tsubaki had indicated, holding up his umbrella.

"Darling, see you later." A heavily made-up woman sat in the car, kissing Miyajima Sosuke goodbye.

Under the lights, Miyajima Sosuke was smiling sweetly. His usually furrowed brows and serious expression seemed like melting snow, which, nourished by love, had turned into a thick, sticky honey.

Goodbye, my dear.

This scene was witnessed by two people who happened to arrive at the scene.

"Whoosh—" The car roared away through the rain, leaving only a married man standing there with an umbrella, gazing into the distance until the hazy halo of the car lights disappeared into the rainy night.

"Tap tap—" The short high heels made a clear sound on the smooth cement road.

The anger within her continued to rise, and even the heavy, humid rain could not extinguish the flames. Miyajima Tsubaki, expressionless, stepped past the umbrella to stop Ito from shielding her, letting the cold rain soak her through.

"Slap!" A powerful slap landed on the face of Miyajima Sōsuke, who turned around upon hearing the sound. The force of the slap drew blood from the corner of his mouth, and his face swelled up.

The umbrella fell to the ground in pain, splashing water. Miyajima Sōsuke covered his cheek and fiercely raised his head.

"Damn it, which lunatic dares to hit me? They're asking for it... It's you... You saw it..."

The fierce words gradually turned calm when the figure was recognized.

"Tsk, now that I've been seen, there's nothing I can do. I don't need to keep pretending anymore. It's exhausting to put on an act when I'm with you."

"Why?" A low voice came from Miyajima Tsubaki, whose head was hanging low and letting the rain and wind beat down on him.

"Why? If I had to say, it would be that I no longer love you."

Miyajima Sōsuke looked indifferently at Miyajima Tsubaki, bent down to pick up the umbrella, and folded the wings.

"I have been ruined by your Miyajima family."

"Pah!" Miyajima Sōsuke spat out a mouthful of blood and continued, "Miyajima, hmph, do you know how they looked at me when my friend married into the family and changed his surname! Ah!"

"And you, Miyajima Tsubaki, if you hadn't taken it upon yourself to come to my school, the news of my marriage into my husband's family wouldn't have leaked out, and my university life wouldn't have been met with so many strange looks! It's all your fault!"

"Your Miyajima family is truly remarkable, especially that old man. He's so arrogant and dares to look down on me. It's because of him that I married into his family that my life was ruined. He's the culprit who ruined my life!"

Miyajima Sosuke roared hysterically, the sound of the heavy rain unable to drown out his incomprehensible shouts.

Taking a deep breath, Miyajima Sōsuke read out the words that exposed his complete lack of responsibility, word by word.

"I—shouldn't—have—married—you—in—the—entire—time!"

"Giving birth to Sakura was just a mistake!"

Miyajima Tsubaki could no longer contain herself; her lifeless heart was reignited by the beastly words of Miyajima Sōsuke.

"You bastard! I'm going to beat you to death!"